Hi all,

I’m swapping out my stock intake and carb for a 4 barrel setup. After pulling out the distributor, I wanted to check how easy it would be to put it back in. It seems to line up and click in but does not go all the way down and sit flush where it is supposed to.

Any tips or anything is should be aware of? Note that when the distributor was coming out, the thin rod was attached, so before I pulled the distributor out with it attached, I slid it he distributor with the rod back in. Then pulled the distributor out, and the rod stayed in the engine. Don’t know if that matters.

Thanks in advance!

-Erik

 

Sounds like the oil pump drive shaft is not lined up in the distributor. Sometimes you can lightly wiggle the rotor back and forth to get it to fall into place. If not just rotate the shaft in the engine slightly until the distributor will go all the way down.

 

Okay, good deal! Thank you for the quick reply!

 

Hey NOHECKS
That oil pump hex rod should stay on the dist. It has a small wire clip that SNAPS the rod into the dist. If that rod is not snapped into the dist and it falls into the hole, it is very possible that it will end up in the bottom of your oil pan. If not lodged on the side of the block and crank counter weights???
My experience when pulling out the dist is to pull it out REAL SLOW, as if you ****** it out fast the oil pump will turn a little and go just a little past the original spot to line back up.
Remember the dist turns a little as the dist gear is removed from the cam gear.
Just something to look out for.

 

every ford distributor I've pulled the oil pump drive stays in the block...I've never seen a clip to hold it to the distributor...the clip should be installed so that the oil pump drive doesn't come out when the distributor is pulled.

 

Yeah that makes me feel better. The Haynes manual also says to be sure the rod “remains in the engine and attached to the oil pump”.

I’ll be going to reinstall it next weekend. All this being said, I should hopefully be able to jiggle / rotate the rotor a little back and forth and get it to go back in?

I’m terrified of it being off a tooth

 

NoHecks,
Sorry to scare you but I need to pay more attention to what you were working on. V8
I am so used to working on this 300 6 cyl which is just as I mentioned.
If you are ever working on a 79 300 6 cyl don't be surprised when the rod comes out with the dist.
I like your V8 setup a lot better.
The first pic is the rod with spring clip
2nd pic is the rod stuck into the dist shaft. (this is an old dist I tore up and use to prime oil pumps).
Sorry for my confusion.

 

I will also confirm this statement is completely false with the older Ford V8's of this era....

The oil pump-distributor shaft stays in the block itself with the clip on the top side of the shaft, right underneath the distributor shaft alignment guide area in the block like dlburch had posted....

These are one of those tasks where you do a little to a lot of cussing and keep trying until you succeed reinstalling the distributor in it's correct spot....

There has been times I had to get a nutdriver to turn the oil pump shaft a little bit in order to realign the distributor to slip back in after an hour or so of frustration, other times it would slip back in with ease with no problem, other times it would only take 5 to 20 minutes of fussin' when it would always immediately slip back in upon one tooth out of position....

These are the clips mentioned shown on the oil pump-distributor shaft that sit underneath the alignment hole on the block that STAY ON the shaft itself so that the shaft should never manage to escape from its position inside the block...
-Factory shaft on the right
-Aftermarket ARP shaft on the left


If one is overhauling their Ford Engine, I for one HIGHLY recommend installing a new ARP oil pump-distributor shaft, they are better material and wear less on the hex corners for the long haul...
The only "typical" way the oil pump-distributor shaft can be removed from it's position on these older Ford V8's is to remove the oil pump itself, note that the oil pump shaft is loosely fitted when the distributor is removed but never leaves it's position -
Shown here between the oil pump and #1 main cap is the new ARP oil pump-distributor shaft installed on my Ford 460 in the rebuilding stage.

 

I gotcha, yeah no worries, that’s good to know! Hopefully it gets back in there without too much trouble

 

You need to be sure that the oil pump shaft is seated correctly by "priming the oil pump" since you removed it and dropped it back in.

If you find that it's not correctly seated you can use a telescoping magnet and/or very long forceps (I bought some on Amazon), to pull the magnet out/put it back in carefully.

One last tip, if you're having trouble getting it lined up, make sure the truck is as level as you can get it especially front to back to ensure the shaft drops in at the correct angle (jack it up wherever needed).

 

I have always experienced this misalignment when swapping distributors and have always eventually succeeded in reinserting them. Can't really put it to words other than to keep on by trial and error until your succeed. I usually have to keep trying different base and shaft/rotor orientation combinations until it finally drops in.

Of course, all the while you need to be mindful of your engine's timing and how that relates to the rotor and base. Just because ti drops in doesn't mean your timing is correct.

 

I use a 1/4" drive 5/16" socket (I think) taped securely to a 6 or 8" extension. Insert down onto oil pump shaft hex and rotate just a little like 1/4 turn and repeat.

 

I've done this many times, jump the solenoid, bumping the starter, the distributor will get 'sucked' right in. You cannot move the rotor because the gear on the distributor hits the gear on the cam and cannot rotate. Bumping the motor over will align the hex pump shaft and the helical cut gears will pull the distributor down. Your over thinking all of it! LOL

 

The collar on the pump shaft should be adjusted to the block, that way there is little chance the shaft will ever come out with the dist.

 

Update on the situation. The hex shaft initially appeared to be centered in the hole which was part of the confusion. Got a bright flashlight down in the hole and the shaft was out of the pump hole and was leaning off to the side (not seated in the pump).

As some have mentioned, I was able to get a telescoping magnet in there to lift the shaft up, then using a 1/4” deep socket and extension (no ratchet attached), I was able to twist the shaft and kind of jiggle it until I felt it seat into the pump. Turning the shaft by hand using the socket I had resistance that felt correct and could even heat oil making its way up (spinning counter clockwise).

Dropped the distributor in and it was sitting much lower but not completely seated. Took my socket and spun the shaft counter clockwise a slight turn and tried again. About 3-4 tries and the distributor dropped in and seated correctly.

Excited to fire it up and see how this new intake and carb do.

1974 f100 302